Apparatus for feeding and coating labels



Nov. 26, 1957 R. STAHR 2,814,269

' APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND COATING LABELS Filed June 15, 1954 2SheetsSheet 1 Nov. 26, 1957 R. STAHR 2,814,269

7 APPARATUS F OR FEEDING AND COATING LAEELS Filed June 15; 1954 2Shegats-Sheet 2 United States Patent APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND COATINGLABELS Rudolf Stahr, Metzkausen, near Mettmann, Germany, assignor toJagenberg-Werke Akt.-Ges., Dusseldorf, Germany Application June 15,1954, Serial No. 436,939

Claims priority, application Germany July 3, 1953 ,4 Claims. (Cl.118-236) The present invention broadly relates to the art of labelling.

More particularly this invention relates to a method and apparatus forwithdrawing the end label from a stack of labels in a labelling machine.

The invention further relates to a method and means for withdrawinglabels from a label magazine and applying these labels to a rotaryadhesive applying surface from which the labels are removed andtransferred to the articles to be labelled.

Still more particularly, the invention relates to a method and means forwithdrawing labels from a magazine and simultaneously applying adhesivethereto in which the end label of the stack is removed by a rotatingadhesively coated surface with the label stack being moved to and fromtangentially to the circular path of movement of the adhesively coatedlabel withdrawing and receiving surface.

Heretofore in handling relatively long labels in a known labellingmachine of this general type it was necessary that the label magazineexecute a working stroke which corresponded substantially to the lengthof the label whereby the length of this working stroke being a long pathof movement placed undue limitation on the efficiency of the machine.

By contrast, the present invention has for an object to increase theefiiciency of the labelling machine and to provide a method andapparatus for withdrawing the end label from a stack of labels whichincludes interrupting the forward motion of the magazine after effectingpartial detachment of the end label by engaging the latter with theadhesively coated surface, following which contact pressure ismaintained between the adhesively coated surface and the end label ofthe stack whereby the end label is detached by the continued rotarymotion of the surface relative to the now stationary stack of labels.

In accordance with the present invention, the trailing end of the labelin relation to the forward stroke of the magazine is maintained incontact with the adhesively coated surface and pulled from thestationary stack of labels while a contact pressure is maintained, thatis, the weight of the stack presses the end label against the movinglabel receiving surface whereby the adherence of the label to the saidsurface is enhanced with particular reference to the rear or trailingend of the label.

As a further object the invention provides in a labelling machine aplurality of label supports embodied with the label magazine andextending inwardly from the said end of the magazine beneath the endlabel of the stack. These supports are arranged in spaced relationtransverse to the path of movement of the magazine to brace the rear ortrailing end of the label stack.

It is a further feature of the invention to have a plurality ofstationary label supports mounted in groups on each side of the contactline between the adhesively coated surface and the lower plane of thestack so as to brace the stack of labels throughout its lengthwisedimension.

As, a further feature the label supports that are em- ICC bodied withand moved with the magazine and the stationary supports are constitutedby narrow strip members which are respectively spaced and distributedthroughout the width of the stack of labels such that the movablesupports in their forward movement project in the space in between thestationary supports that are on the adjacent side of the contact line.

Further and more specific objects will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic and side elevation of a labelling machineembodying the concept of the invention with the parts shown at thecommencement of the labelling cycle,

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are fragmentary views illustrating the magazine andthe label withdrawing and receiving surface in successively differentpositions during the withdrawal of the end label from the stack,

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view on an enlarged scale taken alonglines 5-5 of Figure 3 and illustrating the movable label supportscarried by the magazine in their relation to one set of the fixed labelsupports.

As illustrated in the drawings, the stack of labels noted at 1 aresupported in the label magazine 2. The label magazine is secured to aslide 3 which reciprocates along guide 4. 'The lever 5 effects thereciprocation of the slide. Supported beneath the path of movement ofthe slide and magazine is the uninterruptedly rotating drum carrying theadhesive receiving and label withdrawing surface or segment 6. Shaft 7supports the drum for rotation. The segment 6 is, as known in the art, araised surface which moves past and in contact with a dipping roll 8dipping into adhesive in a receptacle 9. A scraper or doctor blade 11which is adjustably mounted by means not shown determines the thicknessof the adhesive film carried by dipping roll 8 for retransfer to thesegment 6. The article 12 to be labelled is placed upon a platen orsupport 13 by hand or any suitable mechanical conveying method. Abovethis support 13 is disposed a stationary fulcrum or pivot 14 on which ismovable by push rod 16 a gripping mechanism including an angularlydisposed arm 23 having grip fingers 15 on the ends thereof. Thisgripping mechanism is operative to grasp the forward edge of the labelas it is withdrawn from the stack and remove it from the segment 6 whenthe leading edge of the latter passes into the path of movement of thegrip fingers 15. The presser element 17 is reciprocally mounted abovethe platen 13 in guides, not shown, for pressing the label upon thearticle after the label has been released by the grip fingers. To openand close the grippers 15 for taking over the label from the segment.6and releasing it above the article 12 the roller lever 10 is provided onone of the gripper fingers 15. It is operated through the fixed cam 21,when the label is taken from the segment 6, and through the cam 22fitted to the holder of the presser element 17, when the label istransferred to the article 12.

On the rear wall of the label magazine 3 are mounted a plurality ofangle-shaped strip elements constituting label supports. These supportshave a long arm which projects beneath a stack of labels. These stripelements 18 move with the magazine and are spaced transversely of thestack of labels as shown in Figure 5. Additionally in order to brace thestack of labels groups of mutually spaced stationary label supports 19and 20 are mounted on each side of the line of contact between theleading edge of the segment 6 and the end label of the stack whereby asthe magazine is moved forwardly from the position shown in Figure 1 tothose shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 the pile of labels is supported by thesupports 18, 19 and 20. The gap between the facing edges of supports 19and 20 is such that the weight of the labels presses the end label andmaintains it in contact with the moving segment 6. Thus the bottom labelis supported tangentially in the plane of movement of the segment.

'All; movements. are made from. the driving,shaft..24: on which the gearwheel 25 is arranged to-mesh with the gear 26 on the shaft ofthe'dipping. roll;8,.which inturn drives thev gear.27 and thus thesegment 16. The reciprocating .movementof the label magazine. 2.:iscaused by the cam 28, also fixed on theshaft 24, in connection withtheroll 29 .of the, lever arm 5. The. roll is kept on the cam-by the.tension spring. 30 fitted to thearm anda fixed point. The lever .23carrying the gripper fingers 15 is similarly operated. The. lever arm 31is in contact with .the:.cam"33 through-the roll 32. operating the lever23 by.rod:16. The holder of the presser element 17 is provided with thebolt 34 for the fork lever 35. The control. lever 36 is operated throughroll 37 and cam 38 transferring'its up andwdownmovement'through the rod39 to the fork lever '35and thus to the presser element 17.

In the operation in accordance with-the invention, at the beginning of alabel cycle the magazine and segment occupies the position illustratedin Figure 1, that is, the leading edge of the segment which haspreviously received adhesive from the transfer roll 10 is flush with theforwardedge of the end label with the label-magazine moving in thedirection of the arrow. Upon further forwardmotion of the magazine andadditional'or further arcuate motion of segment 6, the latter rolls incontact with the end label of the stack and commences the withdrawal ofthe same from the stack as shown in Figure 2. The gripping mechanismwhich has been stationary until the withdrawal of the label is commencedis now actuated-to' dispose the fingers 15in the position shown inFigure 2 whereupon they grasp or grip the leading edge of the label. Thegripping mechanism-starts to recede and the segment continues to rotatewhile the'magazine is moving forwardly until these components reach theposition shown in-Figure3, whereupon the forward movement of themagazine is interrupted and stops for a short time. In this position,and as clear from a comparison of the relative positions of the magazineand segment in the diiferent' figures in the drawings, the magazine hasmoved a linear distance corresponding to approximately one-half thelength of the label. During this forward motion'of the magazine, thelabel supports 18 are moved into the space between stationary labelsupports 19.

Upon the additional circular movement of the segment 6 that part of thelabel that is still within the magazine and resting on the supports 18'and19 is withdrawn from the pile, the contact pressure between the pileof labels or stack and the segment 6 assuring an eifective pressing ofthe trailing end of the lowermost label against thesegment 6. Duringthis action, the gripping mechanism in receding peels the now adhesivelycoated label from off the segment 6 in order to move the label to thedotted-line position shown in Figure 1, that is, above the article to belabelled. While the gripping mechanism is placing the article to belabelled, the magazine starting from a position of Figure 4, reversesand returns to its initial or starting position. The return movement isinitiatedafter the trailing edge of segment 6 has moved out of thecontact line that previously existed between the pile of the stack oflabels and the segment. When the gripping mechanism has disposed thelabel over the article 12,-the presser element 17 moves downwardly topress the label to the article.

Thus the reversalof the magazine starting from the position it occupiedwhen its forward motion is interrupted shortens the total length ofstroke of the magazine so that this length is less, than the length ofthe label. In other words, the gripping mechanism and presser elementcan-now operate on a faster cycle since it is not necessary toincorporate any time lag to accommodate for the movementbfthelabel-magazine overa strokeoccasioned by' the length of the label. Theinvention therefore with particular reference to elongated labels incurtailing the stroke of the magazine permits the operation of the othercomponents of the labelling machine at a faster cycle and thus theefiiciency of. theimachine is enhanced and its productive output isincreased.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for withdrawing labels from a stack of labels in a. labellingmachineqincluding an arcuate, label receiving surface adapted:to.be-.coated with adhesive, means mounting the label receiving surfacefor movement inan arcuate path, a label magazinehaving a stack ofelongated labels therein adjacent said surface with the endlabel.exposed, .means, mounting; the magazine for movement in a to and.fro path with the end label tangentially of and in juxtaposition tothearcuate path of movement of said labelreceiving surface, drive. meansfor effecting simultaneous continuous movement of the surface andinitial movement ofthe. magazine in.a forward direction so thatadhesiveapplied to the label receiving surface contacts the end label ofthe stack and partially withdraws the same,. said drive means. includingmeans for interruptingthe movement of the stack at a positionin itsstroke. in'which theend label has been moved in synchronism with. thesaid surface and in contact therewith a distance corresponding toapproximately one-half the length. of .the, label,.said drive meansfurther including means-for temporarily. holdinguthe magazine stationarywhereby" the stack of labels: maintains contact pressure between the endlabel of the stackand the. label receiving surface so that theuninterrupted. movement of the said surface completes the withdrawal of.the end label from the' stack and said drive means reversing themovement of the magazine from the position occupied by the same when itsforward motion was interrupted to return the magazine to its initialposition through a movement corresponding to only approximately one-halfthe length of the label so as to increase the number of labelstransferred from the stack to the label receiving surface in a givenperiod of time.

2. Means for withdrawing labels from a stack as claimed in claim 1 andincluding fixed immovable label supporting means carried by the magazineand movable therewith, said label supporting means projecting beneaththe end label of the stack and having a substantial length in relationto the length of the label and the forward direction of movement of thestack whereby the rear end of the stack. is supported during labelwithdrawal.

3. Means for withdrawing labels from a stack as claimed inclaim. 2ancl'fixed elongated label supporting means stationarily mounted onopposite sides of the line of contact between the adhesively coatedsurface and the plane of the end label of the stack immediatelysubjacent the plane of movement of the end label so as to support thestack of labels throughout substantially the lengthwise dimensionsthereof during the interval when the magazine is stationary.

4. Means for withdrawing labels from a stack as claimed in claim 3 inwhich the said label supporting means carried bythe magazine and atleast the stationary label supporting means in that side of the line ofcontact adjacent the rear of the stack are transversely spaced groups ofstrip members with the mutual spacing of the strip members of therespective groups being so correlated that as the magazine moves forwardthe strip members carried thereby move into the spaces between the stripmembers of the stationary group whereby the stack is supportedthroughout substantially the width thereof and for a substantialdistance inwards of its rear end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

